Grease by Darlington Operatic Society

They're the ones that YOU want !!

Following on from last Autumns spectacular, Strictly Musicals, Darlington Operatic Society launched their Spring show, Grease, last night to huge applause, standing ovations and no shortage of critical acclaim.

Every year, DOS leave their audiences wondering how they can possibly top their most recent show, and every year they go one better - well with this show they've totally upped the bar when it comes to professional production values, great voices and bags of family fun.  Packed with all the classic songs known and loved from the biggest musical film of the 70's, this is much more than a simple sing-a-long stage version of the Travolta & Newton-John legend.  The choreography keeps it fresh and lively while the slight change in the musical running orders stops any complacent viewer from shuffling "I know what's coming next".  As for the cast, everyone on the stage looked like they had accomplished a childhood dream to 'sing Grease' on stage in front of a full house.

The leads, Michael Hirst and Selena Blain managed what so many since John & Olivia have tried and failed - they really gave you the impression they were into each other and the chemistry was there for all to see, bubbling under.  Michael had the swagger of Travolta, helped in no small part by his proud jaw line, cheeky smile and smooth moves while Selena (who many will remember for being Aerial in Strictly) had all of Newton-John's candy kitsch and faux innocence until the bg switcheroo at the end.  I don't want to spoil just how amazing Selina looks as sexy Sandy, but I will steal a quote from a previous show, The Producers, when I say "you can't see it but we're giving you a standing ovation."

Of course, there are more than just the two love birds in this show - Nick Holmes as Kinickie is perfect for belting out "Grease Lightning" and it is very clear that he has studied all the words to ensure his 'actions match up to their meanings'.  Katie Carter, making her DOS debut as Rizzo had a great first act in which she stays very much the matriarch of the gang, slightly aloof, cocksure and more mature than the other girls, but it was halfway through the second act, with her solo of "There are Worse Things..." that Katie stopped the whole auditorium dead in its tracks.  She managed to bring out Rizzo's vunerablilty perfectly, pealing away her protective shell to show a glimpse of the little girl underneath, before putting the barriers back up and returning to the hard Rizzo of before.

One of the great things of a stage show over a film is that there is more licence to allow some characters to relax and have bit a more fun - nonemoreso than Andrew Hamilton and Hayley Walker who, as Roger and Jan, brought the house down with their mickey taking and comedic ribbing, especially as they extol the virtues and love of lunar pastimes.  Even when she is not front and centre, Hayley adds so much to her character - at times I found myself watching her instead of centre stage and laughing at her extra little antics.

Another who made me hope she would be in all the scenes was Claire Williams, playing Patty - she is just so adorably high octane that you want to box her up, put her on a shelf and keep her for those days when you're feeling a little low - she is a pocket rocket of energy, the perfect Little Miss Goody Goody and a great mover to boot.

The set design and choreography are all fantastic and show true ingenuity in how to make the most of stage space while the costumes remain true to the feel of the film without being mere copies - that said,  Glyn Bigham in his all white suit was a heavenly vision straight out of the (Beauty) school of Frankie Avalon.

Of course, Grease is habitually a younger persons show, it is, after all, set in High School, but that's not to say that there weren't parts for all ages of the society. It is a great testament to the all the cast of DOS that so many familiar faces from Strictly Musicals were present in the company, and even though they weren't taking leads this time they looked like they were still having a fantastic time.

Looking round the theatre before curtain up and talking to many at the interval, it was obvious that the majority of the audience were there to see Grease based on a love of the film, however at final curtain everyone agreed that this performance was every bit as good as the movie and then some - there is a far better connection to the characters when you can see them live in front of you but more than that, you can feel their total enjoyment in what they are doing; the audience feed off the actors enthusiasm who in turn respond to the crowd - perpetual energy has at last been found.

The final curtain call was met with standing ovations throughout, well deserved by all on stage and even more so by Directors Martyn Knight, Joanne Hand and Michael Trotter.  I hope that this great theatre has strong foundations because on this showing there will be many more throughout the 10 night run.

Grease, by Darlington Operatic Society, is on at Darlington Civic Theatre until Saturday 12th April - there are still a few tickets left but hurry - see the DOS website for more details.

PS - I couldn't write a review on a DOS show without mentioning my two favourite girls - Zoe Birkbeck and Chloe Dargue - Great Hand Jiving Chloe and Zoe, that mauve sweater - Oh My !!  x

Circus of Horrors, London after Midnight @ Darlington Civic

sexy, scaring and funny all at once, this is grown up theatre for adults

Darlington Civic theatre is one of the oldest and most vibrant theatres in the North East and has played a huge range of shows, events and performances BUT I defy anyone to have EVER been and seen a show as bizarre, diverse, shocking, surprising and funny as The Circus of Horrors. In our current climate of nanny state, over sensitive PC do-gooders, it was like a shot of adrenaline straight into the main vein to be treated like an adult.  True, there were disclaimers before the show started, but even these had a forked tongue-in-cheek approach and added to the anarchic build up of the show which included much scream provoking before the first beat.

Circus of Horrors is not a new concept - the show has been running in a variety of guises for over 18 years and recently spent 8 weeks residing in London.  Now, on a UK tour, they are bringing their blend of heavy rock, blood and body parts to the unsuspecting regions. The premise of this show is a tour with evil Doctor Haze of 1665/1666 London and some of the capital's worst places in history - worst for the foul, depraved, degenerate practises that history tells us actually did happen - Cheapside, Bankside, Bedlam are all covered along with demented doctors, possessed priests and ghostly girls.

Make no mistake, underneath this macabre mayhem beats the heart of circus perfection with many acts displaying world class performances rarely seen outside of Shanghai or Vegas; a sword swallower who has remodelled his body to aid his swallowing techniques; a contortionist whose bone crunching joint manipulating was the perfect physical embodiment for a possessed inmate of Bedlam; death defying high wire and swing 'twins' and an acrobatic team who literally throw themselves around the stage.  There are elements of true humour, all be them in a very adult vein, some of which prompted a collective sharp intake of breath but this is what is so refreshing - we were all adults watching an adult show designed for adults and no apologies for it.

What is most impressive about Circus of Horrors is that this is not simply a one-after-the-other come on stage, perform and then leave show - the choreography and stage design keeps the seedy underbelly of 17th century London right to the fore and many times there are multiple acts all performing on stage together, blending into the telling of a story of horror, death and madness.  The constant heavy rock music, which created an almost trance-like feeling, ensured that the show enveloped the audience in a cocoon of twisted consciousness, rising and falling as one like some perverted scene from a Ken Russell movie.

Plenty of fire, certainly a lot of danger and no shortage of flesh, the show left me hating myself for wanting more, more, more. 

Circus of Horrors, London after Midnight, is on tour around the UK with more details available here - http://www.circusofhorrors.co.uk/tour_dates.html

Eternal Love @ Darlington Civic

Following on from last years amazing Anne Boleyn, the English Touring Theatre last night opened their new tour at Darlington Civic Theatre and proved, yet again, that nothing compares to live theatre.

For many, the story of Abelard and Heloise is pretty much unknown; I had very little idea as to what this tragic love story was about but I think helped to ensure there were no preconceived ideas or expectations.  Indeed, it is very rare to come to a show and not have some degree of prejudged understanding leading to "I'm looking forward to the part...." or "I expect the 2nd act to be better".  I was able to relax, sit back and allow this show to take me wherever director John Dove wanted me to go.  The cast, of which many were part of the previous tour, were again very engaging, spending time preshow to mingle with the audience, sing songs and create a very inclusive atmosphere which heightened the feeling that we were about to be told a story.

The premise of Eternal Love is the conflict between the religious zeal of the 12th Century (with all its beyond-reproach idealisms) and a new wave of challenging thought based on the philosophical teachings of ancient Greece.  Whilst there is a fundamental love story sitting beneath the eloquent yet lengthy battling monologues, the true driver throughout is the juxtaposition between accepting religion as the one true faith whilst trying to disassemble the religious teachings to 'make sense' of just why we believe.

David Sturzaker, who had given great life to Henry VIII last year, brought a sense of mischief, wonder, confidence and singlemindedness to Abelard.  Happy to take all ridicule for his unconventional approach to understanding the scriptures, his only real downside is his belief that everyone should question everything - this lands him foul with the established clergy whose lives, wellbeing (and in no small part, power) rest on the unswerving and unquestioning faith of their flock.  When he falls in love with a student (who subsequently bears him a child out of wedlock) his fate is sealed.

Jo Herbert, who was the stand out actress of 2013 for her part as Anne Boleyn, plays Heloise with a similar determination as her previous role; head strong, passionate and confident women are very much Jo's forte and Eternal Love is very much the winner for it.  Heloise falls for Abelard completely, although it takes some time to establish whether it is him or his refusal to conform that she finds most attractive - even the scandal of bearing his child cannot persuade her to relent and follow her Bishop uncle.  This leads to a rather graphic and somewhat barbaric solution by the shunned & humiliated clergy which still cannot dim the flames.

True to previous productions, the ETT manage to bring humour, wit, music and a few slightly gross-out moments to the proceedings whilst keeping things feeling quite 'grown up' without being pretentious;  it does not pitter patter around, if something needs saying then it is said and, unfortunately for some of the male members of the audience, if something needs doing, then it is done!!  True, the dialogue and writing style mean you need to 'get your ear in' to really appreciate all that is being said, but for someone who has regularly questioned religion and faith I found the logical & philosophical arguments very entertaining with many a nod in agreement.

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac @ Darlington Civic

Anyone who loves music from the past 40 years will have no doubt enjoyed at least a handful of Fleetwood Mac's songs; from their first hit Albatross right through to the 80's smashes Big Love and Little Lies. Likewise their albums have always managed to deliver on every occasion but the history books will show that it was their eponymous 'Rumours' album that does, and will continue to, stand the test of time as a true classic.  

The songs are masterpieces in their own right but when the story surrounding the band (the in-fighting, love triangles and months of silence) are added there is more than a frisson of extra edge and pathos to the words.  Rumours, and the original live tour to accompany the album, was used by some band members to sarcastically remind others of their infidelities, betrayal and disdain.  I can't see the current crop of 'pop stars' ever having the mastery of English to be able to write such cutting sentiment into such catchy songs.

The show is, in effect, split into 3 parts (although there is only 1 interval); part one is a complete rendition of the Rumours album culminating in a spine tingling rendition of 'The Chain'.  Part two, straight after the break, allows the boys to take the stage and treat us to the more psychedelic repertoire of late 60's prog rock including a jaw dropping version of 'Rattlesnake Shake'. Then part three welcomes the girls back for a final foray into the more recent catalogue, ending with an almost tribal immersion in 'Tusk'.

The musical prowess of all on stage is simply mesmerising whilst the vocals and  harmonies are pitch perfect to the originals.  Louise Rogan as Stevie Nicks delivers sheer power and presence which defies the laws of physics from such a small frame while Amanda Kostadinov is as sultry and seductive as Christine McVie has ever been.  Alan Hughes takes the Lyndsey Buckingham role with the perfect blend of amazing guitar and punchy vocals backed by James Harrison on iconic basslines (he stole the first half with The Chain's middle refrain).  Ben Hughes, a mere baby compared to the rest of the cast brings a real blues feel to his guitar playing and is the perfect foil to the wonderful trance-inducing keyboards of the legendary Mr Dave Goldberg (whose performance is a great reason to have him age-tested - no way did someone so active & sprightly play keyboards on Radio 1 in the late 1960's).

If you look in any music press listings you will find many tribute bands covering almost all the big name acts from the 60's and 70's - The Counterfeit Stones, The Bootleg Beatles, Abbaesque, the Pink Floyd Experience but I challenge any of them to be as good as Rumours; in fact I will go so far as to say they would rival the original Fleetwood Mac if someone could ever get them on the same stage.

Fallen Angels @ Darlington Civic

Deliciously risque and hilariously naughty

Crowe and Seagrove provide comedy gold

Last night saw the opening of Noel Cowards Fallen Angels at Darlington Civic Theatre and provided for the almost sell out audience a real tonic in this damp and cold February.  Looking through the history books, this play was first performed back in 1925 at the Globe, to which reviews commented that it was "..vulgar, disgusting, outrageous, shocking, nauseating, obscene and degenerate" - scant praise indeed and yet despite, or perhaps because of, such feedback Fallen Angels was a resounding success, a success which on current form it will be repeating again almost 90 years later.

Built on the themes of infidelity, sexual liberation, equality and more than a touch of disregard for the social expectations of the time, Noel Coward's peak under the bed clothes of 20's high society is full of his trademark word play and erudite observations, but it is the visual humour which elevates this performance into the annals of greatness and provides one of the funniest evenings this wonderful theatre has seen for many years.

The premise is quite a simple one; two ladies, who, before marrying, were both in love with the same exotic Frenchman; a love which they had consigned to their misty eyed, rose coloured past, whilst they duly followed convention and married perfectly honourable (if somewhat boring) English gents. Then, 14 years later and completely out of the blue, they both receive a postcard from 'Monsieur Amor' announcing that he is to visit and with this simple correspondence old passions are aflame, jealousies aroused and dreams resurface.

 The leading ladies, Jenny Seagrove and Sara Crowe both have tremendous pedigrees for the variety and depth of roles they have played, and whilst this is neither's first foray into comedy, their impeccable timing and physical dexterity (bordering on slapstick) showed that both are amazingly adept at creating belly laughs from mere glances.  I warn anyone going to see this that the last 15 minutes of the 1st act will have you literally gasping for breath, bereft of ribs and pleading for the curtain to fall and the chance to regain some sense of dignity, not to mention a reappraisal of the stage power of a pineapple.  The second act continues with both ladies seeking to gain an advantage over the other whilst trying not to betray their own passions until the climax, when, as both husbands begin to realise they may have been duped, Monsieur Duclos arrives to add a Gallic frisson to proceedings.  Philip Battley who plays the suave & debonair Frenchman was wonderful, a cameo mix of Maurice Chevalier and English Cad Terry Thomas and whose entrance, late in the play, was met with many appreciative gasps from the ladies in the audience.

Whilst the setting may be 1920's London, the cleverness of the play and the perfection of the acting make this quite timeless; lets face it,  sex, love, passion and champagne know no boundaries.